Multi-purpose instrument



Dec. 24, 1963 J. MODIN MULTI-PURPOSE INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 15, 1963 a .k a 2 7 m m w \L 0 m 4 0 2 m l 0 l H J M m .r 2 9 2 m INYENTOR JOHN MODIN United States Patent Ofilice 3,114,977 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 3,114,977 MULTT-PURPOSE HNSTRUMENT John Modin, Suite 12, 1208 Burnaby St., Vancouver 5, British Qolurnbia, Canada Filed Jan. 15, 1963, er. No. 251,572 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-149) My invention relates to improvements in measuring devices and more particularly to a combination tool which is adapted to perform a number of functions with a high degree of accuracy.

The objects of the invention are to provide an instrument which will readily serve as an inside and an outside caliper without the necessity of subsequently transferring the recorded measurements to a rule as is required when a conventional hinged caliper is used.

A further object is to provide means whereby the blades of the tool can easily be swung about their hinge connection and when so moved will assume automatically positions which will enable the device to be used as a square, a 45 bevel or as a simple 12 inch nlle.

Amongst the advantages of the invent-ion are that the tool may conveniently be used by mechanics in taking nut and bolt sizes, by machinists in gauging metal stock etc. and by tradesmen and hobbyists who require a lightweight pocket instrument.

These and other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and be shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the reverse side of the instrument showing the tool in use as an outside and also an inside caliper.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of the obverse side of the device when in closed position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sec-tion taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a detail elevation, part in section, of the hinged ends of the blades.

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an elevation of the obverse side showing the device in use as a rule, a square or a bevel.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The present instrument is formed, preferably, of stainless steel or a similar metal which is resilient and highly resistant to wear. This material may be of sheet stock which is suitably processed to provide a pair of coacting blades 10 and 11.

The blade 1th is in the form of a holder or sheath and this sheath blade has side edges 14 and 15 which are straight and parallel to one another and also end edges 16 and 17 which are disposed at right angles to said side edges. Near the end edge 16, the two parallel side flanges 19 of the sheath are cut away to provide a recess 20. The metal at one end of the recess is crimped at 21 to form a lug 22. The recess has a straight inner edge 23 which serves as a zero mark for a scale 24. Scale 24 is inscribed upon the reverse side of the tool so as to extend along the straight edge 14. A second scale 25 is provided on the tools obverse side to extend along the edge 15 between the end edges 16 and 17. Both side flanges 19 of the sheath are provided, near the end edge 17, with key-hole shaped slots 27 which define a tongue 28 having an enlarged end 29. On the obverse side of the sheath, the metal which is removed to form the slot 27 is not cut away entirely as it is on the reverse side but is bent outwardly and is reversely curved so as to lie in close contact with the adjoining flange 19 of the sheath. As shown in FIGURE 3, the metal thus shaped provides a clip 30 which enables the instrument to be carried conveniently in the breast pocket.

The two ends 29 of the tongue are connected by a pin 32 which serves as a hinge for the blade 11. In FIG- URE 4 it will be seen that the hinged end of the single blade has an edge 34 which is substantially radiused about the centre of the pin 32 and that this rounded blade edge is provided with four circumferentially spaced earns 35. The radius of the edge 34 is such that said edge is in firm contact with the web 37 joining the two sheath flanges. Since the cams 35 project beyond the edge 34, when the blade 11 is rocked about its pivot pin these cams bear against the Web and act as levers which exert an upwardly directed force against the tongues 28. Thus the tongues are deflected to a slight extent incidental to rotation of the blade 11 and said blade, in effect, is spring mounted. When the blade 11 is swung out of its sheath to fully open position or is returned to closed position, a slight resistance is ofiered to both these movements. The spacing of the cams 35 is such that they form stops which selectively, will support the blade exactly at to the sheath, in alignment therewith or at 45 and thereto, see FIGURE 6.

The outer end of the blade 11 has a recess 40 opposite the recess 20 and also a lug 41 which engages the lug 23 when the blade is fully enclosed by the sheath. Along the straight edge 44 of the blade side is a scale 45 which forms a continuation of the scale 25 when the instrument is in fully open position. The other or reverse side of the 7 blade has inscribed thereon a curved line which serves as an index mark 46 for the sheath scale 24. The inner edge 48 of the blade is parallel to the edge 44 and is also a straight edge. In FIGURE 1 the instrument is shown in use as a caliper measuring the outside diameter of a length of rod 50. To obtain such a measurement the tool blades are opened and the lugs 23 and 41 are placed in contact with the periphery of the rod. At this time the tongues 28 are exerting a slight resilient pressure to close the blades and the user is required only to sup port the hinged end of the tool as the reading is taken. The diameter of rod is indicated by the index 46 on the scale 24- without the need for transferring the measurement. The curvature of the index mark enables the device to give accurate readings over a fairly wide range and it has been found that measurements of as little as of an inch can be taken by the tool.

The tip of the lug 23 is spaced a predetermined distance, say /2 inch, from the edge 15 of the sheath blade and the tip of the lug 41 is spaced from the edge 44 of the blade 11 exactly the same distance. Therefore the tool may be used as a caliper to measure the inner diameter of a pipe 52, see also FIGURE 1. The reading is taken oif the scale 24 as before and one inch is added to this measurement to give the inside diameter of the pipe.

FIGURE 6 shows the instrument in use as a rule with the scales 25 and 4-5 combining to provide a single scale, in this instance, one foot long. As previously mentioned the spring and cam action of the hinged blades will allow these members to be disposed in any one of the dotted line positions shown in the figure.

What I claim is:

A multi-purpose measuring instrument comprising a first blade member formed of a channel-like sheath having side flanges and a web, resilient tongues formed in the side flanges of the first blade member, a second blade member housed within the first blade member, a hinge pin extending between the resilient tongues and hingedly connecting the blade members together at one end, the hinged end of the second blade member having a substantially semi-circular edge, a plurality of cams on the semi-circular edge, said cams being adapted to engage the Web of the first blade member to support said blade members in preselected angular relationship, scale means on one of said blade members, a curved index mark on the other of said blade members, said index mark being adapted to read upon the scale means and indicate the distance between corresponding parts on the free ends of the blade members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Harris Nov. 3, Dolph Nov. 16, Hamalainen June S, Sherman Apr. 23, Simon July 8, Lundquist May 26,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. 20, 

